Таинственный остров

           Theactionoftheoarswasprevented,andPencroftwasobligedtopushwithapole.Theyfoundalsothatthewaterwasbecomingshallowerandshallower,andthatthecanoemustsoonstop.Thesunwasalreadysinkingtowardsthehorizon,andthetreesthrewlongshadowsontheground.CyrusHarding,seeingthathecouldnothopetoreachthewesterncoastoftheislandinonejourney,resolvedtocampattheplacewhereanyfurthernavigationwaspreventedbywantofwater.Hecalculatedthattheywerestillfiveorsixmilesfromthecoast,andthisdistancewastoogreatforthemtoattemptduringthenightinthemidstofunknownwoods.

           Theboatwaspushedonthroughtheforest,whichgraduallybecamethickeragain,andappearedalsotohavemoreinhabitants;foriftheeyesofthesailordidnotdeceivehim,hethoughthesawbandsofmonkeysspringingamongthetrees.Sometimeseventwoorthreeoftheseanimalsstoppedatalittledistancefromthecanoeandgazedatthesettlerswithoutmanifestinganyterror,asif,seeingmenforthefirsttime,theyhadnotyetlearnedtofearthem.Itwouldhavebeeneasytobringdownoneofthesequadramaniwithagunshot,andPencroftwasgreatlytemptedtofire,butHardingopposedsouselessamassacre.Thiswasprudent,forthemonkeys,orapesrather,appearingtobeverypowerfulandextremelyactive,itwasuselesstoprovokeanunnecessaryaggression,andthecreaturesmight,ignorantofthepoweroftheexplorers’firearms,haveattackedthem.